Digital TV and broadband services have a pretty bad reputation around the world. Customers complain about prices, quality of services and lack of customer service. Are these issues prevalent among every service provider? Or is there a provider out there who stands above the rest?

I recently switched to Sky. Based on my personal experiences as well as my research into the services provided, I’ve created a full review of Sky. Is this a service provider worth checking out for yourself? My full review is below:

About Sky.com

Sky is a British-based company which provides satellite broadcasting, digital television, on-demand streaming media, broadband internet and telephone services across Europe. Headquartered in London, they provide services in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Austria and Italy.

Sky as it exists today was formed in November, 1990, the result of a merger between Sky Television and British Satellite Broadcasting. With over 20 million subscribers, they’re currently Europe’s largest media company.

Top Features of Sky.com

Exclusive programing. Sky Atlantic offers a variety of TV shows you can’t find on other services. These included original, critically-acclaimed shows such as Penny Dreadful. You’ll also have exclusive access to Sky Movies, which are available 12 months before they appear on online subscription services like Netflix. Finally, Sky Sports lets you watch all the latest boxing, tennis, cricket, rugby and, of course, football.

Watch on Multiple Devices. You can take your Sky subscription with you wherever you go. You can watch many live TV channels right on your computer. Over 6,000 movies are also on demand. You can watch them whenever you like on your TV, tablet, computer, smartphone or any other device connected to the internet.

Sky Box Sets. Sky offers entire seasons of popular TV shows. Selections include popular shows like Modern Family and True Detective. Classic TV shows are also available including Alias and Monty Python. There are thousands of shows to choose from.

Suggestions. Like many other popular streaming entertainment services, Sky suggest new shows you may like based on what you’ve previously watched. The suggestions work well. I discovered a host of exciting new shows.

Sky Go Desktop. Your entire experience can be controlled directly from your computer with the Sky Go Desktop. You can watch TV shows, manage your services and even pay your bill. Most of these features are also available on the Sky app for your mobile device.

News. Stay up-to-date with Sky News. You can even tailor the service so news stories you’re interested in are highlighted.

Unlimited Broadband. Sky’s broadband is truly unlimited. Your service will never be slowed down, even during peak usage times.

Sky Prices

There are four broadband packages available.

1. Sky Broadband Unlimited

This package is £3.75 a month for 12 months. An additional Sky Line rental fee of £16.40 a month is also required. This package has a download speed of 17 Mb/s with an unlimited monthly allowance.

2. Sky Fibre

This package is £10 a month for 12 months. The same Sky Line rental fee of £16.40 a month still applies. This package has a download speed of 38 Mb/s with a monthly limit of 25 GB.

3. Sky Fibre Unlimited.

This package is £10 a month for the first six months and then £20 a month for an additional year. The same Sky Line rental fee applies. The Unlimited packet has no monthly usage limits and a download speed of 38 Mb/s.

4. Sky Fibre Unlimited Pro

This is the premium package. The Unlimited Pro is £30 a month, with the additional Sky Line rental fee. The Unlimited Pro has no monthly usage limits and a zippy download speed of 76 MB/s. For this package, you’ll have to call Sky directly in order to check on availability in your area.

All packages come with four features. The Sky Hub is Sky’s router – it’s easy to set-up and use. The Sky Broadband Shield is a way to block certain websites from within your household. Sky WIFI is a way for you to create Wi-Fi away from home. Finally, all packages have the same level of 24/7 customer service support.

There are six bundles for Digital TV. The cheapest bundle includes 35 channels for £20 a month. The top-of-the-line package includes all sports and movies for £75.75 a month. In between, you’ll find a variety of packages which emphasize different types of entertainment (sports, movies, etc.). There are enough options that you really don’t have to pay for channels or events you’ll never watch.

Criticism

There’s just no way a broadband and digital TV provider is going to be immune from criticism. There will always be people who feel the prices are too high, the services are too poor and the customer service is too inattentive. So, know that if you’re looking for complaints online, you’re going to find them.

On the other hand, Sky is the largest provider in Europe. They have over 20 million subscribers. This means that, for the vast majority of customers, Sky works just fine. When it comes to broadband and digital TV, the best course of action is to sign up for a short period of time. Your geography – and even the structure of your house – is going to affect the quality of the service you receive. There’s really no way to know until you use the service yourself.

Sky Customer Support

A large company can afford to dedicate a lot of effort to an extensive online help section and Sky is no exception. Their help page is clear and organized. You can learn more about any aspect of your service – internet, TV, phone and more.

Of course, many customers prefer to talk to a real person whenever there’s a problem. Sky offers phone support around the clock. You can also go online to view any service interruptions which might be happening in your area. Their site also offers a community forum.

In my experience, broadband and digital TV services will go out from time to time. It’s just a result of the technology. However, I’m far less likely to be annoyed by an outage when I can get a real person on the phone who will explain the situation and provide information. With Sky, I can get that.

Final Thoughts

I used Sky for about four months. They were my broadband and digital TV provider. They were one of the best service providers I’ve ever dealt with. Within five days after ordering, a professional technician was at my home, installing equipment. My existing phone number even stayed the same!

I went with the Sky Fibre Unlimited. The variety of TV shows and movies available was great. I binge-watched entire seasons of TV shows on a combination of my TV, my laptop and my tablet. The on demand services were very easy to navigate and the selection is quite impressive.

My broadband did go out for a few hours one afternoon. I called their customer service number and was talking directly to a technician within five minutes. She explained there was a broken line somewhere near my neighborhood. Fortunately, technicians were already on the scene. I was impressed. There are going to be technical problems from time to time – I’m more concerned with how quickly and seriously the service provider is going to react to those problems. Sky reacted quickly and professionally. I was back online before dinner.

Overall, I recommend Sky’s digital TV and broadband products. The price is fair, the service is excellent and the selection of entertainment options is leagues ahead of the competition. If you’re looking for a service provider in Europe, look to the Sky.